Table attachment for beds



Get. 4, 1949. c. M LEAN l -IT AL 2,483,920

TABLE ATTACHMENT FOR BEDS Filed Nov. 7, 1947 COL/N C McLEA/v SAND R A DAV/5 dam/mu, i ze ym Edi/runs Jwmnnu FIT TORNEYS Patented Oct. 4, 1949 TABLE ATTACHMENT FOR BEDS Colin 0. McLean and Sander A. Davis, Chicago,

Ill., assignors to Hospital Furniture, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 7, 1947, Serial No. 784,696

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a table and more particularly to a table mounted on a bed and adapted to swing out of the way when not in use.

When serving an invalid who must remain in bed, it is the general practice to place a tray over the invalids legs to support a table-like surface. Usually the tray will be equipped with short legs which rest on the surface of the bed. This structure is quite unstable, and also traps the person in a fixed position unless someone is present to remove the table. To overcome these disadvantages it has become common, especially in hospitals, to provide tables on rollers. The tables are of sufficient height and width to pass over the bed to a position where it can be used by the invalid. A disadvantage is that a table on rollers supplies an additional piece of furniture which occupies some of the limited space available in hospital rooms.

It is an object of this invention to provide a table for use by one in bed which may be easily moved to an out of the way position.

. Another object of this invention is to provide a table attached to a bed which will form a stable surface for use by one in the bed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a structure which may be easily installed on existing beds.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a table which may be moved to an out of the way position and will not interfere with one making a bed when the table is not in use.

With these and other objects in mind which, will become apparent in the following detailed description of the invention, this invention resides in a table movable along the side rails of a bed having legs pivoted to allow the table to be adjusted at either a horizontal or inclined position and to allow the table to be swung into an out of the way position when not in use.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bed with the table in position for use.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the foot end of the bed when the table is in storage position.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section along the section line 3-3 in Figure 4 of the rollers and track along which the table moves.

Figure 4 is an elevation, partly broken away, of the standards supporting the table legs.

Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 in Figure 4.

Referring to Figure l, the table, indicated generally by I, of this invention is shown mounted on a bed 2 having a foot board 3 and a head- 2 board 4. Extending between the head and foot of the bed are side rails 5 of any conventional type. The bed shown in Figure 1 is shown in a made-up condition with the elevation of its upper surface indicated by the seam 6 of the bedspread.

Attached to the outer vertical surface of-side rails 5 of the bed are tracks 1. As illustrated in the drawings, the tracks are substantially C-shaped channels having the mouth of the 0 opening outwardly. The tracks may be formed by any elements, such as flanged upper and lower angle irons, which will form a horizontal surface for rollers and an opening for passage of an axle for the rollers in a, manner hereinafter described.

Tracks 1 are preferably Welded to the side rails 5 at 8 when the bed is constructed of steel. Obviously, other means of attachment, such as screws, will be used to fasten the tracks to a Wooden bed. The tracks I may, consequently, be attached to any conventional bed.

On each side of the bed is a standard 9 which supports the table legs l0. Attached to the lower end of the standards 9 are axles II on which rollers I2 rotate. Rollers I2 ride inside track I and serve as a support for the standards a In the preferred construction of this invention each standard will be equipped with two rollers to allow the table to move smoothly.

The base I 3 of standards 9 is preferably widened to increase the stability of the standard. Standard 9 extends upward to a level slightly below the elevation of the surface of the bed indicated by seam 6.

Pivotally attached to the upper end of the standards are the legs ll) of the table. As illustrated in Figure 5, arms l4 and 15, respectively, extend laterally at the lower end of legs [6 and the upper ends of standards 9. Arm I 4 bears against standard 9, and arm l5 bears against leg II] when the two parts are locked together. A bolt I6 passes through the upper part of standard 9 below arm l5 and through a slot IT in leg Ill. Bolt I6 is threaded at its outer end for the engagement of a clamping nut I8 which may be tightened to lock the leg Ill in position against standard 9. Slot I1 allows vertical adjustment of the table to the desired height. In order to increase the bearing surface of the arms M and I5 when table I9 is at an inclined position, it is preferred that standards 9 and legs [0 be widened as indicated at 20 in Figure 4 near the pivotal connection.

The pivotal connection of table legs If] to standards 9 allows a table top l9, extending beconsists of a block 22 of any suitable material having a high coefficient of friction, such ashard rubber, to which a pin 23 is rigidly secured. Block 22 travels within track" andpi'n 23 extends through the mouth of the C-shaped'track and passes through the standard 9. A lever"24 is keyed to the pin outside the standard 9.= A rod 25 is connected with the end of lever 24 remote from pin 23 of the standard 9 and extendsu'p wardly along the standard to a position just below the plvotal connection withthe table leg It. A IeVerIZG' having a handle 27 is linked to the upper endof rod- 25- and rotates about a pin 23 rigidly at'tachedto the standard.

----When1-thetable is in the desired position the 1 handle 21 is raised to a vertical position which forcesrod 25 downward. Rod 25 in turn::rotates lever 24" about pin 2.3 which turns the block.22 in track tn-Block Z'Z has' a length greater than the height of the track 1'; consequently, the block bearsr-againstthe upper andlowerwalls of the track to hold the table'firmly inplace. A-guide bracket 29 and a-stop 30 are; provided to limit" the movement of=rod 25 and lever26, respectively.

By locating the leverhandle 21 a short distance below thesurface of the bed; it is possible for the onein'the bed to release the brake and move the tableto the foot of thebed :whenit is not-inuse. Since the'table travels on rollers in tracks which guide its. movement, 'a slight push of "the table -is sufficient to-send it to the foot of the. bed. This is-incontrast with tables constructed on rollers which rollon the floor which require the table to beguided as=it is'moved. 1 Referring to Figure 2, table I9 is shown in the storageposition which it occupies when not in use.- The table is rolled to the foot end of the bed, and the base of the standards 9 engages the foot of the bed to prevent the table from rolling out of the track 1.- The clamping-nut l8 isthen loosened and the legs and top of the table are rotated about the pivot lfi'until thetable is in essentiallya vertical position. The foot board 3 of the bed is preferably of a height allowing the table l9'to pass over it. and fltsnugly against the outer surface of the foot board; Foot board-3 then holds table Iii-securely in an out of the Way position when it is notin use. Iffoot board 3 is too high to allow table l9 to pass-over, the table maybe folded to a position inside the foot 4 board between the foot board and the end of the mattress. The end of the mattress will then hold the table firmly in position and prevent its moving to an inconvenient position.

As mentioned before it is desirable that the standards 9 extend upward to a point slightly below the upper surface of the bed. When the table isin the storage position illustrated in Figure 2, the standards 9 and legs lil will be completely out of the way.

While the preferred modification of this invention has been described in detail, it is to be understood that the concept of the invention is not limited-to those details, but falls within the scope ofthe appended claim.

We-claim:

A table attachment for a bed comprising a C-shaped channel opening outwardly attached to each side of the bed in a horizontal position below the mattress on the bed, a substantially vertical standard. extending upwardly from each ,of the channels to a level slightly-below the upper S111? face of the mattress, a plurality of rollers spaced horizontally rotatably attached at thebottom of the standards and travelin in the channels to support the standards in a vertical position, aleg extending above the-upper surface of the bed pivotally and adjustably attached to the upper end of each of the standards, a table top attached ,to the upper end of each of the legs extending across the bed, a brake lever extending along one of the standards to a position accessible to the occupant of the bed, and a brake block attached to the lower end of the lever adapted to frictionally engage the channel in response to movement. of the brake lever, said brake allowing the. rollers to move the table smoothly in a horizontal direction when released.

COLIN C. McLEAN. SANDER A. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CIT/ED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 382,613 Keighley May.8, 1888 535,945 Donald Mar. 19, 1895 790,588 McLennan May 23, 1905 1,208,979 Kahre Dec. 16, 19.16 1,359,623 Sadlik Nov. 23, 1920 1,602,628 Schweizer 'Oct. 12, 1926 1,679,635 Steinberg et a1 Aug. 7, 1928 1,930,882 McRae Oct. 17, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 612,671 France g May 14, 1937 841,586 France May 23, 1939 

